Much of the material is "ceremonial" (i.e., letters of introduction/greetings, letters of appointment, etc.) but there are documents of more significance, especially in the files for city of New Orleans government agencies. The New Orleans Police Department files include scattered reports on investigations of houses of prostitution, fortune-telling, and other "nuisances" of the day. The Orleans Levee District, Board of Commissioners files include details of the Board's purchase of land for the Bohemia Spillway. In addition to records relating to agencies of the city, parish, state, and national governments, there are also materials dealing with local individuals, institutions, and businesses. Several black organizations are among those represented in the records (for example, the file on the Peoples' Methodist Episcopal Church contains a flier, with photographs, describing the activities of the Peoples' Community Center).